Let’s Pray

We continue looking at the Future Glory this morning....God’s Glory that will be revealed to all the world when the end comes

Because we know that is true and coming we focus on the new heaven and the new earth and that gives us hope because we know who God is

He put His character on full display in Jesus and Calvary

New heaven

new earth

new bodies

that is enough for me but God because He loves you so much goes even further

He gives you Him in Holy Spirit that indwells you at the moment of salvation

remember dwells means ownership

home

intimacy in Greek

What a wonderful God we serve!!!!!

That is what our scripture this morning is describing

Holy Spirit’s role in your hope and focusing on the future glory

let’s dive in shall we?

Romans 8:26-27

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Romans 8:26–27 “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”

Infirmities

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Greek noun meaning feebleness mind or body, frailty, disease, sickness, weakness

Your human mind is weak

some people have been able to tap into their brain and it appears they have great strength and power

athletes...people who discipline their bodies for their sports

people who have experienced great trauma

however those are the exceptions and if you dig deeper even those mentioned above who are lost are still feeble and fail in many areas of their lives due to that feebleness

all humans are feeble in mind and body and all are vulnerable to sickness disease and weakness

Christians you are no different

your mind is feeble

weak

Websters 1828 defines feeble as weak

destitute of much physical strength

if you try to depend on your strength you fail because you are feeble

however God sends Holy Spirit to live

dwell in you

to help you with your feebleness

God is the opposite of feeble

so many people see Jesus as feeble

much more so today then in the past

look no further than the way society is attacking true manhood...Godly men

men who stand for the Bible

men who defend their familes

men who defend their church and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ

men who hold themselves, through the Holy Spirit to a high standard through accountability and obedience and lead others to do the same

not mean men

not aggressive men

no men who use their strength and authority to bully others

but Godly men who stand where God says to stand

So many Christians and churches would be shocked if Jesus preached in their pulpit today

they would be shocked if Jesus had a pastoral counseling session with them

they would be shocked at just how manly Jesus really is

Jesus was meek...which is not weak but a choice to restrain

Jesus didn’t sugar coat anything

Today He would be accused of bullying people from the pulpit

He would be accused of preaching hail fire and brimstone

His congregation would be small but growing and deep in terms of relationship

discipleship

obedience

why

because He would preach Him

die to self

die to sin

die to the world

obey at all costs

refuse to allow sin a foothold in your life and mind

You and I are feeble and only made strong by Jesus

He dwells in you in the form of Holy Spirit and strengthens your mind to obey and walk the narrow path

But wait there is more!!!!!

Holy Spirit helps with sickness

disease

weakness

If you need it Holy Spirit helps with it

So many today struggle with I am not strong enough to handle or get through this

on your own you are 1000% correct

however as a Christian you face nothing on your own....unless you chose to face it on your own

because you have Holy Spirit is there

He helps you with your weakness

He helps you with your sickness

He helps you with your troubles

Stop believing the lies of satan and live in the power of Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit serves so many roles

He does so many things in us

He does so many things through us

He does so many things for us

so this morning I want to look at a few of these roles in relation to scripture

Comfort

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We have looked at this a little bit with our infirmities but let’s go deeper

John 14:16

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John 14:16 “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;”

Comforter here could also be translated counselor

Holy Spirit guides you.....gives you comfort

gives you wisdom

gives you discernment as He lives with you forever

Church it is time we stand on truth

James 1:5

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James 1:5 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

If you lack wisdom ask God

He gives to all men liberally......I think God

the creator and owner of ALL things giving liberally is a great thing

Upbaideth not means without reproach

God doesn’t care who you are in terms of status or title

pastor or kid

it doesnt matter

if you lack wisdom ask

God may directly answer you and give you the wisdom in that moment

He may give you wisdom through scripture or other Christians

He may give you wisdom through a song or nature

He may lay a scripture on your heart and mind that gives you the wisdom you need

God chooses to give wisdom using whatever platform He wants

pray

ask

and HE will provide

I also want to talk about Counselor for a moment

The world and even many Christians have counselor and counseling wrong

Counselor and counseling should never be about just sit and talk with the counselor listening or even worse the counselor giving a motivational talk

Counsel means biblical advice

a counselor is to follow the Counselor....Holy Spirit

Counseling cannot take place until one is saved as the lost do not have the Holy Spirit and cannot understand biblical counsel

the counselors first priority is salvation

once the counselee is saved then counsel may truly begin

that counsel is again based upon scriptures and not opinions

God has given us all the answers to all problems we just have to seek Him and the answers in His Word

Comforter can also be translated

Advocate....Holy Spirit fights for you....advocates for you

Encourager is another way Comforter can be translated....Holy Spirit encourages you to honor God and follow God’s Will for your life......He encourages you to walk the narrow path

Teacher

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John 14:26

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John 14:26 “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”

Holy Spirit teaches you scripture

He teaches you all things

if you learned it Holy Spirit taught it

I hear often I am so thankful to God because I have learned so much here at CCC

That is wonderful but don’t give CCC or our teachers or leaders the credit.....Holy Spirit is who taught you....He may choose to teach you through our teachers and leaders but HE taught you

This is why salvation is such a big deal

the Gospel is a mystery to the lost

sinners

unbelievers

You cannot understand scripture

truly understand scripture until you are saved

why

because at salvation is the moment you receive the Holy Spirit and HE teaches you

Truth

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John 15:26-27

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John 15:26–27 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”

Spirit of Truth

Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth

Why

because what He says proceedeth...comes...straight out of the mouth of God Himself

Truth

There is no deceit in God

God is unable to lie

when He speaks it is only Truth...absolute Truth

One reason many Christians don’t like Holy Spirit is TRUTH!

He speaks only God’s Truth

Why do I say many Christians don’t like Holy Spirit because of Truth

John 16:7-8

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John 16:7–8 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:”

Reprove

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means admonish

convict

convince

rebuke

Holy Spirit reproves your sin

He admonishes your sin

He convicts you of your sin

He convinces you to die to your sin

He rebukes you because of your sin

the Greek word usually translated rebuke means to warn

Holy Spirit rebukes...warns you of your sin and the consequences of your sin and the eternal outcome if you do not deal with your sin

Many say

whoa pastor way to personal here

I love Jesus.....I want the Jesus the world sells who loves me and is okay with my sin

God news for you that Jesus is false and anyone teaching that Jesus is a false teacher

that Jesus is not in the Bible

Jesus never called you to comfort

Jesus never called you to acceptance

He never has and never will

After Jesus did a miracle He almost always ended with go and sin no more

Jesus only did physical miracles to point to spiritual transformation in Him

Jesus was fully human so He knows we can’t handle His Truth on our own

That is why God sends Holy Spirit at salvation to guide

to enable us to understand

follow and obey His Truth

Holy Spirit also makes

Intercession

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What does that mean

you and I as Christians are called to intercede for others so we need to get this right

The Greek that is translated maketh intercession means to intercede, make intercession for

still clear as mud...yep was for me too

Websters 1828 defines intercession as act if interceding

mediation

prayer to God in favor of another

To put it in simple english to stand in the gap praying to God for someone else

My sweet dear Grandma Betty interceded for me for years

She is home with Jesus but before she got Alzheimer's disease and passed away she was a prayer warrior

She prayed for me and my brother and our family fervently

she prayed I would come back to Jesus and follow Him

she interceded for me

she stood in the gap when I was out running a fool doing all kinds of sinful things

she never gave up faith in Jesus that He would be enough for me and she was right He is!

Holy Spirit intercedes for you

Stands in the gap and petitions the Father on your behalf

many times in ways we couldnt even comprehend or understand

He prays things we dont know need prayed

Intercession is going to war on your knees praying fervently for others

praying on their behalf to God for His glory and their good

when was the last time you truly did that?

the praise team is going to come

let’s get a little deeper

when was the last time you did that for an enemy?

you are to pray for and intercede for your family absolutely but also your enemies

Holy Spirit does that for you everyday!

Because of all of that understanding we now have it shapes our perspective

you are never alone

you have an advocate

you have an intercessor

you have one going to Go on your behalf daily

That my friends is freedom

God has you

Jesus saved you

Holy Spirit guides you

I pray you truly see how much God truly loves you

How much He provides for you

The great care He takes for your good

Nothing is worth missing out on God

you may be in a place right now where you have no idea

no clue

where to go or what to do

Praise God all you have to do is ask for wisdom and He will give it to you liberally

Holy Spirit wants to guide you to be squarely in God’s will for your life

Holy Spirit intercedes for you

please seek Him

Please respond to Him

The choice is yours and the time is now

invitation I surrender